Norlanian Brides Volume One

by R. E. Butler

  He grinned. “It really is.”

  She gasped in surprise. “Oh! This means that you can sell your own stuff now and we don’t have to spend a fortune on a serum or have Eden sell your clothing.”

  He lifted her onto the counter and rested his hands on either side of her hips. “How do you know about the cost of the serum?”

  “I asked Sloan. She told me how expensive it was, but she said it would be less expensive to just do the mating jewelry so people will know that we’re together. We can still do that, though.” She grabbed a lock of his hair and pulled him close. “Later, of course.”

  “Later?” He said, laughing.

  She wiggled forward, wrapping her legs around his waist with a sultry purr and reminding him that they were both naked, and the counter was the perfect height for them to make love.

  * * *

  Kate slipped a tank over her head and drew her hair forward, tying it into a braid, which she fixed with a ribbon that matched the pale lavender of the tank and matching slacks. Paoli drew his hair over his shoulder and stared at the strands. Even more had turned brown as they’d made love and then showered together. The once multi-hued hair was almost entirely brown at this point. He still didn’t know what to make of his hair changing color.

  “What are you thinking about?” she asked.

  He glanced at her, smiled, and then rubbed the strands between his fingers. “How wired this is.”

  Her brow arched and she said, “I think you mean weird, not wired.”

  “Does that mean strange?”

  She laughed. “Yes.”

  He let go of his hair and she leaned against him. He loved how she felt in his arms, the way she melted with a soft sigh.

  She leaned back and touched his hair. “Ashleigh said that Eden’s hair changed after the first night they made love, too, but he’d taken the serum.”

  Paoli nodded. “The soul-walk company gives the males the serum before they go on the abduction trip.”

  “How long does it last?”

  “Because some of the worlds are quite far, I’ve heard that the serum will last for several lunar cycles.”

  “You never took the serum?”

  He shook his head. “A brokah would never be allowed to take the serum without going on the soul-walk or having a female claim him as mate. I apparently didn’t need it.” He stared down at his mate, into her beautiful blue eyes, and his heart clenched.

  “Because we love each other, maybe?” she asked. “Maybe your hair changed because we really are soul mates, meant to be together, born for only each other, even though we’re from different planets?”

  He kissed her lightly. “I honestly don’t know, but if it were true that males could choose their own soul mates and not go on a soul-walk, then I’m afraid that means something strange is going on with the soul-walk agency.” She frowned and he touched the corner of her mouth with a fingertip, tracing the upper swell of her lips. “It means they’re not really matching up soul mates, that the serum changes the hair color of males regardless of whether they’re actually with their soul mates or not. It also means they’ve been lying to my people for generations. The soul-walk agency has been around for a long time.”

  Her head tilted and she smiled. “You know what? I don’t care. Your hair is a beautiful brown and now you can support our family on your own, and it didn’t cost us a small fortune to buy the serum. It’s a very wonderful surprise.”

  He tightened his hold on her hips and pulled her closer. She sighed happily and he kissed the tip of her nose. “I think if we don’t join Eden and Ashleigh for midday meal, we’re never going to leave the room at all.”

  She rubbed her fingers over his chest and he could feel the warmth of them through the tunic. “It’s not my fault you’re so tempting.”

  “Or mine that you’re the loveliest woman I’ve ever known.”

  “They did ask us to come for lunch today,” she said, using the word that she associated with the midday meal. “But we can hurry back.”

  He grinned, enjoying that she seemed as addicted to him as he was to her. They clasped hands as they walked out of the workshop and into the yard. They both had to squint at the brightness of the sun. He hurried her across the thick grass and through the door into Eden and Ashleigh’s kitchen.

  “Sorry we’re late, or maybe we’re not?” Kate said as Ashleigh stood from her chair at the table and came over. “I have no idea what time it is.”

  Ashleigh hugged Kate with a laugh and said, “It’s all right, I totally understand. Norlanian males are irresistible.”

  Eden stood from the table so quickly that the chair clattered behind him. “What happened to your hair? I thought you couldn’t afford the serum right now.”

  Ashleigh, who hadn’t noticed his hair color until that moment, gasped. Eden joined her, and they both stared at Paoli, or more specifically, his hair.

  Kate slid her arm around him almost protectively. “We don’t know how it happened.”

  Eden shook his head. “It shouldn’t be possible.”

  Paoli had been thinking a lot about his hair color since first seeing it. He was beginning to wonder if the soul-walk agency, and the government, had been duping the people of Norlan. “I don’t know what happened, but I never took the serum and my hair changed color after Kate and I were together. What if our males’ changing hair color isn’t just about the serum? What if, in cases of a male and female not actually being soul mates, the serum changes the male’s hair color anyway?”

  They sat down at the table where Ashleigh and Eden had prepared a meal for them. After Paoli filled Kate’s plate with her favorite things and then his own plate, Ashleigh said, “I don’t understand why the agency would match up people who aren’t soul mates.”

  Eden shrugged. “Deenars?”

  “But hasn’t it always been this way?” Kate asked.

  Paoli said, “Yes. As far back as our history goes, most mates were chosen by a soul-walk. It’s been improved over the years, but essentially a drug was given and a male saw his mate in a vision. That used to be here on Norlan, and now it’s on other planets.”

  “Because they don’t look on Norlan anymore,” Ashleigh pointed out.

  Eden shook his head. “I don’t know what’s going on, but Ashleigh is my soul mate, not because of the agency, but because I feel it all the way to the center of my being.”

  Ashleigh reached over and squeezed Eden’s hand. “I don’t think anyone is saying we’re not really soul mates, Eden.”

  “Of course not,” Paoli said. “It just makes me wonder if the soul-walk isn’t wrong sometimes, like in Kate’s case.”

  “But they did bring me to the right place,” Kate pointed out. “Whatever the reason, I’m glad Paoli’s hair is brown now and I don’t care why it happened. He’s my soul mate and that’s all that matters.”

  Paoli grinned.

  Eden said, “Just to be safe, though, I’ll call Sloan and ask her to dummy up some documents showing that you took the serum. You should lay low for a day until we get that taken care of. I know she’ll be willing to help.”

  “And probably very curious about what happened to you without the serum,” Ashleigh said.

  They ate in silence for a few minutes and then Kate said, “I forgot, you two asked us to come have lunch with you because you had big news. I think we eclipsed it with the hair thing. I’m sorry. What’s your news?”

  Ashleigh’s face lit up. “I’m pregnant.”

  Eden positively beamed as he kissed his mate’s cheek.

  Kate squealed happily and got out of her seat to hug both Ashleigh and Eden. “That’s wonderful news my friend,” Paoli said after standing and hugging Eden. “I’m so glad you found happiness.”

  “I’m glad for you, too.”

  The conversation switched to the baby, which, according to Ashleigh, was just over a lunar cycle old. She’d taken a test at the medical center the day before with Sloan and had confirmed what she�
��d been sure of – that she was carrying Eden’s child.

  After the meal was finished, Eden contacted Sloan, and within an hour, she’d brought dummied paperwork with her, showing that the day before, when Kate had visited her office, she’d paid for the serum. Sloan examined him and took a sample of his hair.

  Sloan said, “It’s really amazing. I’ve looked in the old files and I’ve seen no record of anyone’s hair turning brown without the serum.” She looked between him and Kate and added, “I would keep it to yourselves. If it got out publicly that a male’s hair could change when he chose his own mate, the agency might try to cover that up, and that wouldn’t be good for anyone. I’m curious because I love medical mysteries, but the romantic part of me believes your hair changed color because you two love each other so much.”

  Paoli thanked Sloan for her help, took the documents in his hand, and after saying goodbye to Eden and Ashleigh, carried Kate across the yard, through the workshop, and into their room, and they didn’t come out until morning.

  Chapter 8

  The following afternoon, Kate stretched her back as she straightened from where she’d been bent over what she’d describe as a cross between a tablet and a mini laptop. It had a flat screen and a strange keyboard, which she couldn’t use because she didn’t speak or read Norlanian, but it had a thin stylus that she could use to write the words in English.

  She’d been woken up that morning by a very-happy-to-be-mated Paoli, and after they’d made love and showered together, she’d gotten an idea to write a story about her dog Boomer. Meeting Boreo at Paoli’s family’s house had made her miss her big dog, and since she didn’t have anything to do with her days except for being a living mannequin for Paoli and model his clothes, she thought she’d put her time to good use. Ashleigh thought Kate had a great idea and wanted her to write stories about Earth so she would have books to read to her own children.

  Paoli said that the pages could be printed from the screen, and Eden offered to handle the artwork. Although Kate enjoyed drawing, she didn’t think she could draw a good likeness of Boomer, so she was glad to have Eden’s help. He and Paoli were very excited to hear the stories of their world, and Kate wondered if other human brides would be as well.

  A young male walked into the classroom, one of the ones taking Eden’s painting class, and he looked as pale as a ghost. “There are soldiers outside. They’re asking for Paoli and Kate.”

  Kate’s heart leapt into her throat and Paoli rushed to her, his arms around her shoulders protectively. “Why are there soldiers here?” she whispered.

  “I don’t know,” Paoli said.

  Eden cleared his throat. “Back to your work, boys. Paoli, I’ll go with you.”

  Kate grabbed Paoli’s hand. “They asked for us both. Let’s do what they say. Maybe it’s nothing bad.”

  She wanted to look on the bright side, even though she didn’t always have such a positive outlook on life, but she really didn’t think anything good could come out of soldiers showing up at the workshop unannounced.

  Eden accompanied them out of the workshop, and she found herself staring at six soldiers in black uniforms, a male with a completely white uniform holding a thick book, and Dex.

  Her gaze landed on him and everything inside her went ice-cold. Why was he here? Was she going to be arrested for throwing that potted plant at him?

  She looked at him, but he was looking at Paoli. Kate lifted her gaze to Paoli and gripped his hand tightly. His hair was entirely brown now, a lustrous rich chocolate color.

  The man in the white uniform cleared his throat and Dex’s gaze snapped to Kate’s as the man spoke, “Paoli Forza?”

  “Yes?” Paoli asked.

  “Is this Kate Mason, the woman you paid for from the Bordelayz?” the white-uniformed male asked.

  Kate’s heart was hammering in her chest so hard she thought it would break free of her body and flop around on the ground.

  “She is. What is this about?”

  “My name is Laus and I’ve been retained to provide a joining ceremony for the two of you. Dex, if you’d please give them the jewelry.”

  Dex moved from his place next to Laus and lifted a rectangular, silver box. He opened the lid and inside was a bracelet and a necklace and a strange tube-shaped device.

  Dex said, “I’m sorry, Kate. What you said to me in the medical center was true. I was too stubborn to see how wrong it was for you to be pulled into the situation, and what a slackof I was for putting the burden of the cost of your abduction on your shoulders. I know it won’t make up for what happened to you, but I paid for the ceremony and the jewelry. They just need to be typed with both of your DNA. You’ll be a citizen of Norlan and have nothing to fear if anything should happen to your rightful soul mate.”

  Kate didn’t know what to say. She looked at Paoli, who looked equally speechless. Laus said, “Officer Hosi, please enter the couple’s DNA into the jewelry so I can begin the ceremony.”

  A young man with electric blue hair stepped forward and picked up the bracelet. It was made up of intricately carved golden links, with a purple stone hanging in the center. He touched the tube to the stone and showed Paoli the screen, which had a word on it that Kate didn’t know. Paoli held out his right arm and Officer Hosi fixed the bracelet on his wrist, then he pressed a button on the device and a thin needle slid from one end, which he used to prick Paoli’s finger. He placed the tip of the needle into the center of the gem through a tiny hole she hadn’t noticed. The device beeped and another word flashed on the screen. Then Hosi picked up the necklace and pushed the needle into the center of the stone.

  Officer Hosi said, “Your finger, please, Kate.”

  She stared at the officer, at the soldiers, and the minister behind him. Paoli kissed her temple and said, “It’s okay.”

  She blinked at the sudden tears and held out her right hand to the officer. It took only a moment for him to prick her finger with the needle and inject her blood into both the necklace and the bracelet. Paoli picked up the necklace and stepped behind Kate to fasten it around her neck. The mechanism locked with a click, and although she knew that Paoli could spring the lock if she asked him to, she had no intention of ever taking it off.

  Grinning, he said, “I’m going to throw those tools away.”

  She laughed and her worry over the small crowd slipped away completely. Officer Hosi pressed the device to her necklace and Paoli’s bracelet and then flipped the screen around. Paoli said, “It says that the mating jewelry matches.”

  She glanced at Dex’s wrists and noticed that he wasn’t wearing the bracelet that had matched her old necklace.

  Eden, who had slipped away during the finger-pricking part, returned from the house with Ashleigh and stood to the side, watching as Laus, who was a magistrate, spoke vows that she and Paoli recited.

  “By the power of the position of magistrate of the capital city of Kyvern City, I bind you together as husband and wife. Bonded forever.”

  Ashleigh and Eden clapped loudly and so did the young males who had come out of the workshop to watch when it was clear that nothing scary was happening with the soldiers. The soldiers and the officer stepped away as Paoli drew Kate close and kissed her. She felt the kiss, passionate and possessive at the same time, all the way to her toes.

  “It’s my honor to have you as my wife, Kate,” he whispered against her lips.

  She smiled up at him and knew how lucky she was.

  Dex cleared his throat and she turned her head. “Thank you, Dex. You didn’t deserve my anger before, and I don’t deserve your generosity, but thanks.”

  He looked thoughtful. “I did deserve it. You were right. I didn’t really want a mate and I didn’t really care what it meant that you were being abducted from your world and brought to mine. I thought because the soul-walk put us together that you would automatically want to be with me. I was harsh and uncaring. Whatever it cost me, the real cost was that I could have destroyed your life.”
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  Paoli squeezed Kate a little tighter, drawing her into his warmth. “I know it wasn’t really your intention, but you brought Kate and I together. For that, and for this ceremony, I thank you.”

  “Just take care of her. She deserves it.” Dex nodded and turned away, following the soldiers and magistrate as Eden led them out of the yard.

  “I didn’t get to throw you a bridal shower or a bachelorette party or anything!” Ashleigh said as she pulled Kate away from Paoli and hugged her. “I’m so happy for you!”

  Kate brushed at the tears that had trailed down her cheeks when she’d spoken the simple vows to Paoli. Reaching for him, she settled back into his embrace and said, “My parents would love you. I wish they could know how happy I am.”

  He kissed the top of her head. “I wish they could, too.”

  * * *

  Kate woke to something beeping. She rolled over with a groan and pulled the pillow over her head, trying to muffle the sound. She and Paoli had celebrated their marriage by having dinner with Eden and Ashleigh at an elegant restaurant in Polona. He’d given her a beautiful gown to wear that he’d made, a floor-length burgundy dress with a plunging neckline and a drawn waist that made her feel like a pinup. She could tell by the way Paoli walked proudly beside her that he finally felt like he belonged in the world and had nothing to be ashamed of. She loved their mating jewelry, and she loved the jealous glances she got from other women as they walked together and he fawned over her. Later, they’d gone to bed and made love, reveling in their newly married status. She had no idea what time it was when they finally went to sleep, but she knew it was far too early for whatever that beeping noise was.

  Paoli grumbled something unintelligible and sat up, fumbling on the small side table.

  “Hana?” he said.

  Kate sat up, shoving the pillow away and turning to find Paoli using a vid monitor. His sister was on the screen, her face streaked with tears. In the background, Kate could hear their mother yelling and Boreo barking angrily.